Debate contribution: Road Infrastructure: Ballykelly and Kilrea
Debate contribution by Mr John Stewart on .
- MLA
- Mr John Stewart
- Party at the time
- Ulster Unionist Party
- Date
- 27 January 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Adjournment
- Heading
- Road Infrastructure: Ballykelly and Kilrea
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5345620
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for East Londonderry for securing the Adjournment debate. As you will be aware, I am also not a Member for East Londonderry. It is rare that I leave my bubble of East Antrim, but I am pleased today to speak on this issue in East Londonderry, particularly Ballykelly and Kilrea. I am grateful to my party colleagues in the area, Councillor Richard Holmes and Glen Miller, and some local constituents for giving me an insight into the subject. I am sure that they will look forward to the Minister's response and anything that comes from the debate today. I will begin by looking at Ballykelly and the A2 Clooney Road. The active travel scheme between Ballykelly and Greysteel, announced as a £2·6 million project in late 2024, was intended to deliver real benefits, with resurfacing of the carriageway and improvement of the facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. However, the project has been plagued with delays and disruption. Originally expected to take 33 weeks, it has now been extended into early 2026, and there has been a £600,000 overspend, bringing the total cost, I understand, to £3·2 million. Temporary traffic-management systems, including off-peak lane closures, have led to severe congestion. Other Members have mentioned that. What was originally a 10-minute journey through the village can now take up to 45 minutes or an hour, with drivers reporting standstill conditions. We all know how frustrating that is. Local businesses have suffered as a result. Rosemary Wright, who owns the Ashburn Image salon in Eglinton, has said that the delays have caused a massive loss, with customers late for appointments, staff delayed and income reduced. That is the experience of just one local business but also, I am sure, of many others. The inconveniences are not minor, and they have major economic and social consequences for that community. Many residents have also questioned whether the new pedestrian and cycle pathway will see much use, and it will be interesting to see the analysis on that.
Concerns have been raised about the upkeep of the paths to ensure safe passage for cyclists, for example. It may be that the only tangible benefit will end up being the resurfacing of the main road at considerable cost and disruption. This case illustrates the urgent need for stronger project management, better communication with the public and local elected reps, and realistic planning so that worthwhile goals do not just result in unnecessary hardship and delays for residents and businesses alike.
People in Kilrea face a different yet equally challenging picture. Councillor Richard Holmes, my colleague for that area, notes the recent closure of the Kilrea Bridge due to maintenance issues and recognises the detrimental impact on local businesses, commuters and the surrounding area. The Kilrea Bridge was, I believe, opened in 1783, which is remarkable. It is a remarkably old bridge. I believe that William Pitt was Prime Minister at the time it was opened, and it is still going strong, standing the test of time. We must acknowledge, however, that a single-lane 18th-century bridge cannot carry the weight and cope with the demands of 21st-century transport. Of the seven vehicle bridges that cross the Lower Bann, four fall within East Londonderry, as I understand. Whilst others such as the Sandelford Bridge have been replaced or upgraded in recent years, the Kilrea Bridge remains largely unchanged. The recent closures have exposed just how vulnerable the situation there has become. Failures to coordinate recent maintenance works with existing plans from 2022 have had a crippling effect on local trade and daily life. That has underscored an over-reliance on traffic road management. There are many points to be raised, and I think that constituents in the area will be looking forward to hearing from the Minister. I thank the Member for securing the debate and look forward to the Minister's responses.
646 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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